Vacaville(Settlement)English (American) From the Spanish surname Vaca and the English suffix ville, meaning "city". The city in California is named for Juan Manuel Cabeza Vaca, an early settler in the land that would become the city.
Valinor(Region)Literature A region in JRR Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings' series. From the fictional Quenya language, a compound of vala, a fictional quasi-divine species, and the suffix ndor meaning "land".
Val Verde(Settlement)English (American) A town in New Mexico. Meaning "green valley", from Spanish val "valley" and verde "green".
Vieques(Settlement & Island)English (American), Spanish (Latin American) An island and town east of Puerto Rico. The name is derived from the Hispanicization of a Taíno word said to mean "small island, small land".
Volodymyr(Settlement)Ukrainian, English, Czech, French, Italian, Slovak Transferred use of the Ukrainian given name Volodymyr. The city in Ukraine was named for Vladimir I Sviatoslavich, the Prince of Novgorod and Grand Prince of Kiev.
Vostok(Body of Water)Russian Lake Vostok is the largest subglacial lake in Antarctica. Its name ultimately derives from Russian vostok meaning "east".
Wabash(Settlement & River)English (American) A river and various cities in the United States. From Miami-Illinois waapaahšiiki meaning "it shines white, pure white", after the white limestone making up the riverbed.
Wabasha(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the Dakota given name Wabasha. The city in Minnesota was most likely named for Wabasha II, a chief of the Dakota people.
Wabasso(Settlement)English (American) A city in Minnesota. From Ojibwe waabooz meaning "rabbit, snowshoe hare".
Waco(Settlement)English (American) A city in Texas, named for the Waco subdivision of the Wichita people, who are indigenous to the area.
Waconia(Settlement & Body of Water)English (American) A city and lake in Minnesota. From Dakota meday wa ko ni ya meaning "lake of the fountain, lake of the spring" or "out of the water comes life".
Waggaman(Settlement)English (American) Transferred usage of the surname Waggaman. The settlement in Louisiana is named for George A. Waggaman, the US Senator for Louisiana from 1831-1835.
Wahiawā(Settlement)Hawaiian A settlement in Hawaiʻi. The name is derived from the Hawaiian phrase wahi a wā meaning "place of the wa people".
Wahpeton(Settlement)English (American) Two cities in Iowa and North Dakota. The name is derived from the Wakhpetonwan band of the Dakota.
Waipahu(Settlement)Hawaiian From Hawaiian waipahu, "water forced up, spring", from wai, "water" and pahū, "burst, explode".
Wakonda(Settlement)English (American) A city in South Dakota. From Dakota wakor or waukon meaning "wonder, miracle, marvel, sacred, medicine".
Wanaque(Settlement)English (American) A river and city in New Jersey. The name is possibly derived from a Lenape word meaning "land of sassafras".
Wantagh(Settlement)English (American) A hamlet in New York, named for a sachem of the Montauk people, who are indigenous to the area.
Wapakoneta(Settlement)English (American) A city in Ohio. The name is possibly derived from the Shawnee word wa-po'kanite meaning "the place of white bones".
Wapsipinicon(River)English (American) A river in Iowa, from Ojibwe waabiziipiniikaan-ziibi, "river abundant in wild artichokes".
Waseca(Settlement)English (American) A city in Minnesota, derived from the Dakota word washecha, meaning "rich, fertile".
Washougal(Settlement)English (American) A city in Washington, USA. The name is derived from the Chinookan language, but its meaning is unknown.
Watauga(Settlement, Body of Water & River)English (American) A river, lake, and several settlements in the United States. Possibly meaning "river of islands", "the land beyond," or "beautiful river, beautiful water" in an unknown Native American language, likely Cherokee.
Wateree(River)English (American) A river in South Carolina. From the name of the Wateree Native American people.
Wauconda(Settlement)English (American) A village in Illinois. While the meaning of the name is unknown, local legend claims that it is named for a Native American leader whose name meant "spirit water".
Waukegan(Settlement)English (American) A city in Illinois. The name is derived from the Potawatomi word wakaigin meaning "fort, fortress".
Waukesha(Settlement)English (American) A city in Wisconsin. Likely an Anglicization of Ojibwe waagoshag meaning "foxes" or derived from the Potawatomi name Wau-tsha.
Wawina(Settlement)English (American) A township in Minnesota. From Ojibwe waawiinaa meaning "I mention him often".
Waxahachie(Settlement)English (American) A city in Texas. Possibly from the Alabama term waakasi hachi meaning "calf's tail", or from the Muscogee compound word wakyhyce meaning "cow river".
Wayzata(Settlement)English (American) From the Dakota word wazíyata, meaning "north" or "north shore".
Wazi Oju(River)Sioux A river in Minnesota. From Dakota Wazi Oju meaning "place of pines".
Weehawken(Settlement)English (American) A city in New Jersey. The name is most likely from a Lenape language, and has been suggested to mean "maize land", "place of gulls", "rocks that look like trees", or "at the end".
Wekiwa(River)English (American) Two rivers in Florida. The name is derived from the Creek-Seminole word wekiwa meaning "spring".
Wenatchee(Settlement)English (American) A city in Washington. From the name of the Wenatchi people, who are indigenous to the area.
Wenji-maajiijiwang(Body of Water)Ojibwe Ojibwe name for the headwaters of the Mississippi River. From the Ojibwe word wenji-maajiijiwang meaning "where the river begins".
Weslaco(Settlement)English (American) A city in Texas. The name is a truncation of the W.E. Stewart Land Company.
Westwego(Settlement)English (American) Possibly from the English phrase "west we go", as the city in Louisiana was a major crossing point on the Mississippi River during the westward migration of Euro-American colonizers.
Wetaskiwin(Settlement)English (Canadian), Cree A city in Alberta. From the Cree word wiitaskiiwin ispatinaw, meaning "the hills where peace was made".
Wildomar(Settlement)English (American) A city in California. The name is derived from the first syllables of the names William Collier and Donald Graham (the city's founders), and Margaret Collier Graham (Graham's wife and Collier's sister).
Willimantic(Settlement)English (American) Various cities in the United States. Of either Mohegan-Pequot or Narragansett origin, probably meaning "place near the evergreen swamp".
Willmar(Settlement)English Transferred use of the Belgian surname Willmar. The city in Minnesota is named for Leon (Chadwick) Willmar, an agent for the European bondholder of the St... [more]
Winnebago(Political Subdivision & River)English (American) A river and county in Iowa. From Ojibwe Wiinibiigoo ("Winnebago, Ho-Chunk"), an exonym for the Ho-Chunk people who lived in the area.
Winnemucca(Settlement & Body of Water)English (American) A dry lake and city in Nevada, both named for Chief Winnemucca, a leader of the Northern Paiute people who are indigenous to the area.
Winnetka(Settlement)English (American) A city in Illinois. The name is said to be derived from a Potawatomi term meaning "beautiful place".
Winnibigoshish(Body of Water)English (American) A lake in Minnesota. From Ojibwe wiinibiigoonzhish meaning "filthy water, brackish water".
Winooski(Settlement & River)English (American) A river and multiple settlements in the United States. The name is derived from the Abenaki word winoskik meaning "at wild onion land".
Winterberg(Region, Settlement & Mountain)German The name of towns in German and Switzerland, as well as a mountain chain in South Africa and several mountains in Germany. From German Winter meaning "winter" and Berg meaning "mountain, hill".
Yabucoa(Settlement)Spanish (Latin American) A city in Puerto Rico. Likely from Taíno yaucoa meaning "cassava plantation". Another possibility is Taíno guaroca meaning "where water is found".
Yāfō(Settlement)Hebrew A port city in modern-day Israel. According to legend, the name is derived from the Biblical figure Japheth or the Greek mythological characters Cassiopeia or Iopa.
Yana Chuku(Mountain)Spanish (Latin American) A mountain in Peru. Meaning "black hat", from Quecha yana meaning "black" and chuku meaning "hat".
Yanacocha(Mountain)Spanish (Latin American) A mountain in Peru. Meaning "black lake", from Quecha yana meaning "black" and qucha meaning "lake".
Yana Mach'ay(Mountain)Spanish (Latin American) A mountain in Peru. Meaning "black cave", from Quecha yana meaning "black" and mach'ay meaning "cave".
Yangtze(River)Chinese The third-longest river in the world and the longest in Eurasia. From Mandarin Chinese 长江 (Yángzǐ) meaning "long river".
Yankton(Settlement & Body of Water)English (American) The city in South Dakota was named for the Yankton tribe of the Western Dakota, who are indigenous to the area; Yankton itself is derived from Dakota Iháŋktȟuŋwaŋ, meaning "village at the end".
Ypsilanti(Settlement)English (American) Derived from the Greek surname Ypsilantis. The city in Michigan is named for Demetrios Ypsilantis, a Greek officer known for his role in the Greek War of Independence.
Yucaipa(Settlement)English (American) A city in California. From Serrano yukaipa't meaning "green valley".
Yuma(Settlement)English (American) A city in Arizona. Named for the Quechan, or Yuma, people, who are indigenous to the area.
Zaagawaamik(Settlement)Ojibwe An Ojibwe settlement in Minnesota, from Ojibwe zaagawaamik meaning "sandbar".